Palmer Supports SOAR Reauthorization Act

For Immediate Release

Washington D.C. – Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), a member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a longtime supporter of expanded educational options, voted for H.R. 10, the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act. This bill would reauthorize the District of Columbia's Opportunity Scholarship Program (DC OSP) which gives scholarships to low-income families in the District of Columbia to attend a private school of their choice.

"Ensuring our children receive a good education is essential, both for each individual child and for the future of our nation," Palmer said. "But for many of our most disadvantaged children, a clear pathway to receiving a good education is hampered by being unable to choose the school that is right for them. This law would ensure the continuation of the already successful DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.

"I am a longtime advocate for more options in education. I was pleased when Alabama recently enacted a tax credit scholarship program that is similar in some ways to the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. I am hopeful that the continued success of these programs will lead to more educational choices for all."

The DC OSP provides a set amount of disadvantaged students (below 185 percent of the poverty level) who live in the District of Columbia a scholarship worth about $8,300 for K-8 and 12,300 for high school. For the 2013-2014 school year, OSP participants had a graduation rate of 89%, compared with 58% of those attending public schools in DC.

For any additional questions, contact:

Cliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov

U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at his website or via Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram.